Compare towns
Lawrence vs Northampton vs Everett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Lawrence | Northampton | Everett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
30,962Lowest |
50,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
41.3±2.2Highest 3% above MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
| Everett and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
13.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 21% below MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Everett |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Northampton High | Everett High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
14.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.